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Page 212
mind and the same steady, single-minded devotion to the quiet development of their own property and power. This apparently selfish motive produced really excellent results.
Neither of the Leicesters were violently acquisitive men, the younger Robert more because of the example of his father than from his own peaceable intentions. Thus, they were not prone to attack their neighbors for an imagined insult. This mildness had brought them huge increases in wealth and influence. During the violent upheavals of the civil war, when Henry sought to wrest the throne from Stephen, their lesser neighbors had voluntarily begged for their protection and had taken vassalage under them. Stephen, wishing to have at least one great baron who was not ready to leap to arms, confirmed these arrangements and even seissined more estates upon them. Because the restrained behavior was accompanied by a lively intelligence, a good strong arm when challenged, and a deep understanding of affairs, the property had remained intact and had even grown under Henry's and Richard's rules.
The Leicesters had always done the king good service and had been decently rewarded. What was often forgotten was that their loyalty, like Alinor's, was to their own lands and not to any king. Old Robert had been a favorite of Stephen's for many years, yet when he saw that Henry was the stronger and that, if a strong king did not soon curb the realm, complete chaos would result, old Robert changed sides and gave his strength to Henry. There had been no need to shift between Henry and Richard; that war was fought on the continent, and old Robert was a past master at evading his military feudal duties.
It was young Robert who faced the choice between Richard and John. He had not set a foot amiss. Sweet words were offered to bothand nothing else. Young Robert watched his herds increase, watched his serfs garner rich crops, listened to the contented talk of his

 
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